The Curse
by SwirlyTwirly
Summary: All her life Nicia thought that her only sibling was her younger twin brother, Lucio. Then one day she runs into Marco Salvatore, a relative who happesn to be a vampire.  This is a spin off to my story Oh Brother, but you don't have to read that togetthis


**AN: Here it is, the first chapter in one of my _Oh Brother _spin offs (I'm also working on a series of one-shots about the brothers' childhood during the renaissance.) This is going to be an incredibly short story topping at five chapters though they'll probably be longer than my regular chapters. This story is about Giuseppe's children after the brothers are turned and he remarries. Please R&R.**

**Disclaimer: I do not and never will own the Vampire Diaries. L.J Smith does. I only own Nicia, Piera, Lucio, Ludo, and Marco (yes, he'll be making a few guest appearances. :))**

Giuseppe sat in his study, reading. He could hear his wives screams down the hall, for she was currently in labor, and wished they would cease. It sounded so painful. His first wife had died after boring three sons; he did not wish for that fate to fall on Bellissa. He couldn't lose another member of his family. About fourteen years ago he lost his wife about months after his third son was born. One year ago he had lost his two eldest sons. His youngest, Marco, had just ran off shortly after that due to the grief of losing his brothers he supposed. Losing another person would just destroy him completely.

Footsteps could be heard hurrying down the hallway. Someone softly began to knock on his door about a minute later, hopefully with news about his wife. "Come in," he called, looking up from his book to see his wife's midwife walk in, carrying a little, sleeping bundle in her arms.

"Meet your daughter, Giuseppe," she said smiling, handing the tiny baby girl to him to hold. "Do you know what you are going to name her?"

Giuseppe's gaze was glued to the petite, pale child in his arms. Her hair was golden blond, her cheeks high and pink. She looked nothing like him or her brothers, but completely like her mother. "Nicia," he answered. "Her name shall be Nicia Marquesa Aletta Salvatore." He knew that his wife would like that name.

Suddenly he was aware of Bellissa's screams, that were still continuing, even though the child had been born. "What's wrong with my wife? What's happening to her?" he demanded, glaring at the midwife, then at the child in his arms. Had she caused this? Her birth?

"Calm down, Sir," the midwife said. "There's another one coming."

"Another one? A baby?"

"Yes," she answered, leaving the room to return to Bellissa's side.

Giuseppe sunk into his chair, his daughter in his strong arms. Two children? Twins? He had never imagined that Bellissa would bear twins.

Suddenly, the screams began to die down. They then ceased. He could hear the midwife's feet scurrying down the hallway toward his study again, bringing his youngest child to him. The door to his study creaked slightly as it opened to reveal the young lady and a crying bundle in her arms. "Meet your son, Sir," she said as she carried the bundle over to him. "My mistress wishes to name him Lucio," she told him, handing his son over to him and taking Nicia from his arms into her own.

"Lucio," he repeated, looking down at yet another son, whose cries ceased as he looked up at his father with curious brown eyes. Like his sister, he had golden blonde hair. Giuseppe got lucky. None of these children looked like his deceased sons, and his runaway one as well. "Lucio is a good name," he told the midwife. He looked at his two children, promising himself not to let them have suffer their siblings fate.

Too bad he can't control fate.

* * *

A young sixteen year old beauty walked arm in arm with her best friend, Piera, down the crowded streets of Florence. Her curly golden hair had been put up into a bun, leaving one stray ringlet running down the side of her lightly tanned face, to show off her pretty face as she traipsed down the street. She was grinning ear to ear, noticing all of the young poor men in Florence were as she passed them. They may have been poor but they were gorgeous. She preferred them over the ugly, boring men that her parents were trying to court her with.

"Such a lovely day," Piera stated, flipping her dark hair back. "Isn't it, Nicia?" she asked.

"Yes, it is," Nicia answered. "A lovely day in the lovely city of Florence filled with lovely people," she told her, brown eyes lingering as she spotted a muscular blond boy loading crates of fish onto a carriage. He caught her gaze, and grinned at her.

"Oh, stop gawking," Piera said, but couldn't conceal a chuckle. "What if some of our mother's friends see us? Imagine what they'll say. We'll be the gossip of the town."

"I was merely observing. You have to actually know a person to gawk and admire them," Nicia stated. "I do not care if the good ladies that befriended our mothers see us. Let them talk. Being spoken of means that you are worthy people's attention." She chose her words wisely. "It's not like we are doing something wrong of any sorts. Any woman, respectable like us or a peasant, can that that young sir over there is rather handsome. I am sure we aren't the first to notice his charm. And just because we do notice is does not mean a thing. Noticing is not doing anything wrong. Acting does though. I will certainly not act. That's a shameful thing to do for myself and my entire family."

"Very true," Piera agreed. "Acting is a disgraceful thing."

"Do you still fancy my brother?" Nicia asked suddenly. "It seemed to me that you were admiring him yesterday."

"Yes, I do."

Nicia grimaced. Finding out that her dear friend was in love with her arrogant brother, Lucio, had not bothered her much at first. She assumed it was just a phase and soon she would find another suitor-one who was not Lucio Salvatore. Two years passed and Piera's feelings had not changed at all, dispute all of Nicia's attempts to find her love elsewhere. It was not that she didn't want her friend to be happy, she just didn't want Piera to be happy with _her _younger brother. Lucio and Piera were not right for each other. If they married they would grow to loathe the other, and that would put Nicia herself in a difficult situation. She would be forced to side with one, or cut all ties with both of them; two things she did not ever wish to do. The two marrying was far from the best, why didn't Piera see it?

"How charming," she lied, smiling a fake smile at Piera. She really needed to do something about Peira's little crush on Lucio. In Nicia's mind crush was the perfect term to discribe those feelings. Crushes get crushed. "What are your father's thoughts on Lucio? Surely you want a man that is approved of by your family, don't you?" Nicia asked.

Piera frowned, a facial feature that was scantily seen on her face. "Father is very much like yours. Trying to set me up with boring old blokes who have everything they desire and more; except a wife. I've been apprehensive about telling him of my feelings for Lucio. My father never really cared for Lucio. He claims he is far too proud and obstinate for someone his age."

"That's a pity," Nicia said. "But your father is correct. Lucio is arrogant, like me. I just know who to flaunt my pride around where he does not. He might get himself into a lot of trouble one day if he keeps up his behavior."

"We are still young," Piera reasoned. "He'll mature. Lucio will learn before something awful happens."

"If you say so." Nicia was not convinced, but if Piera was going to insist who was she to stop her? Let her dream, let her believe in the hopeless. Those qualities made Piera a much better person than Nicia, and she knew it. So let her be, for one day they'll see eye to eye. "Oh!" Nicia exclaimed suddenly, excitedly. "Look at him! He must be someone your father would approve of! His clothes imply that he is rather wealthy, and he is gorgeous!" she whispered, nodding her direction toward the young man that she was talking about.

The young man, who was talking with auburn haired girl, was in fact handsome, but for some reason Nicia wasn't attracted to him. He had messy black hair, a chiseled face and hazel eyes; like her father's. His arms were well toned, the type that most girls would melt into just to be held. For some reason Nicia felt that she would only melt into them for a quick, friendly hug. He seemed to be around her age. His eyes contained a gleam to them of. . .power? Maybe that was just pride. Maybe he was just like Lucio. Was that was she was turned off by him? Because he reminded her of a brother? If that was the case then Piera would likely be attracted by him; which was why she bothered to point him out.

"He is quite a sight," Piera agreed with her. "But how do you know that my father would approve? We don't even know what he's like. And it seems that he is taken." Piera was referring to the girl he was talking to.

"There is not ring on his finger," Nicia countered.

"If he is so handsome to you then why don't you go after him?" Piera inquired.

Nicia shrugged. "He doesn't seem to be right for me."

"But he is for me?" Piera asked.

Nicia nodded, grinning. "Yes! He seems fascinating! You love men like that, do you not?"

"If I go over there that would be what you consider acting," Piera snapped. "I refuse to ruin my myself or my family for a man whom I was not properly introduced to," she said in a huffy manner. "Now come along. Your mother is expecting us to be at your home soon for tea." Piera grabbed his arm and began to walk in the direction of Nicia's home quickly, away from the mystery man, with Nicia in tow.

* * *

Piera's father sent a carriage to fetch her shortly after tea with Nicia's mother, Bellissa, ended, leaving Nicia with nothing to entertain her. Out of pure boredom she began to walk in the garden. It had always been one of her favorite places, especially when she was a young child. The profusion of colorful flowers always enchanted her.

So she found herself there at twilight, wandering aimlessly, admiring each type of flowers beauty. She had hours to walk and gaze at them, so she took her time to enjoy the flowers.

She was still upset at herself for not swaying Piera's feelings away her brother, but she was more curious than upset. Nicia had been thinking about that young man she saw before a lot since Piera had left. How could she have never noticed someone like him, with his beauty, at all? What had her even more curious was her feelings towards the man. Normally she would be drooling at the sight of a man like him, but for some reason she felt different this time. She felt as if he were Lucio. How could she think of him as a family member when she never even met him?

Nicia shook the thought of the man out of her head, picking up a petunia and breathing in it's lovely scent. A voice that came from nearby caused her to drop the flower, and turn around in fear.

"Hold still. I will not kill you," the voice said, but it wasn't directed at her. She stood still and listened, her eyes looking for the man who was talking to someone. "You will not tell anyone of this," he said. Nicia's eyes found the figure talking to one of her family's maids.

Just as he sunk his teeth, no fangs, into the maid's throat Nicia realized it was the young man from before. She saw those unforgettable hazel eyes close as he began to drink from the maid, who didn't scream or run, just remained still. Nicia felt as if she were a tree rooted into the ground, unable to run as he indulged on the maid. The man's head lifted up, licking the blood from his lips. "Now go back inside and return to your work. If any asks tell them you fell and cut your neck, but you'll be fine. Alright?"

The maid nodded and scrambled away from the man quickly. The man's eyes suddenly met Nicia's, and he looked shocked for a second. He started towards her, and Nicia suddenly found it easy to flee for her life.

"Wait!" he called. "I won't hurt you!"

Ignoring him, Nicia ran faster. Suddenly he was in front of her. The man put a hand of her mouth before she could scream. "Calm down! I won't hurt you," he repeated, his hazel eyes boring into her blue ones. "Please don't scream," he said as he lifted her hand.

"You just bit one of my maids!" Nicia exclaimed. "And you drank her blood! You chased me at an incredibly fast speed as well! You truly expect me not to scream? Are you mad?"

"Seems so," he answered carelessly. "Now calm down," the man commanded. "Let me introduce myself, I'm-" he began but Nicia cut him off.

"I don't about who you are! I care about what you are!"

"Well if you quit yelling then I'd be able to explain everything." The creature, she couldn't call him a man, sounded annoyed. Nicia begrudgingly remained silent, giving him the chance to proceed. "My name is Marco Salvatore. I already know that you are Nicia Salvatore. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Though she was taken aback at the fact that not only did they share their last name he knew her name, she nodded and curtsied, the proper thing for any civilizied young lady to do. Even if she was speaking with something inhuman. "I wouldn't exactly call it a pleasure. But please, do continue," she huffed rudely, wanting an explanation. Why did she not run away, screaming? What good would an explanation do if he killed her in the end?

"I'm not human and the only reason why I'm telling you this is because you saw that for yourself. The last thing I need is for some insolent girl running around screaming "demon"; which I'm not by the way. I'm a vampire. Demons are just myths," he stated, smirking as the girl's eyes widened. "Is this really that much of a shock? You _did _just see me feed." Nicia wanted to gag when he said feed. "Anyway, I was just feeding on your precious little maid over there because I need blood to live. Besides, its not like I killed her. I don't humans because I actually remember my human life and how it was taken from me. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone." For some mysterious reason, Nicia believe him. It was most likely because of what she saw him do just minutes before.

"How old are you?" Nicia blurted, remembering something she had heard in stories when she was younger about vampires being immortal. He looked like a teenager but who knew? He could possibly be a hundreds of years old. She shuddered when she realized that she had tried to get her best friend to fall for a vampire.

"Technically I should be thirty-two, but I was turned when I was fifteen," he told her.

"Why are you here? And I don't mean here in Florence, but here at my home. What drew you here of all places to feed?" she asked, struggling on the last word, glaring at him.

Marco's hazel eyes were fixed on the mansion behind, smiling as he stared. "I have a lot of memories from here. Some good. Some bad. I just came back to visit. That's all."

"What do you mean you came back here to visit? You've been here before?" she asked.

"I haven't been here in seventeen years," he said sadly. "Not since the night I was turned. That was around a year or so before you were born."

None of what he was saying making sense. He was a Salvatore that seemed so familiar with her family's home, but her father had no siblings or other children. Sure Salvatore was an incredibly common last name, but this was just bizarre. Was he some distant relative?

"Are we related?" She asked.

His lips curled into a smirk as he nodded slowly.

"How?"

If it were possibly, he smirk grew. "Why don't you ask your father? Ask him about your relation to Marco Salvatore. Add Damon and Stefan in there too, for kicks and giggles."

"Excuse me?" she asked. Why couldn't he just explain their relation to her?

"Please?" he asked. "Just talk to your father tonight or tomorrow, and I'll come back at dusk. If he doesn't give you straight answers, or any form of an answer at all than I will answer all of your questions," Marco promised.

"I don't see why you can not just tell me how we are related? You are making this extremely complicated!" Nicia exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air out of frustration.

"I want to see if my theory is true. And don't even ask what my theory is. I won't tell you," he said. "Now I have to go. My friends will come looking for me and they aren't as friendly as I. They will kill you, brutally," his voice was dark, threatening as he spoke to her as if she were a child. "Goodbye, Nicia."

Nicia Salvatore didn't even have time to say "goodbye" back to Marco. He disappeared from sight, probably miles away by the time she realized it, before she chance to open her mouth.

**AN: Well here it is! The first chapter one _The Curse_. Did you guys like? I worked sooo hard on this. I'm going to try to update reguarly. Once a week, maybe twice if I can find the time to write. That might be difficult because of all the stories I'm working on. Now I'm writing _Oh Brother_,_ Secrets Lay All About _(yeah I haven't update that in like three months but I'm working on it :))_ The Art of Being a Con Man, Insidious, _and now _The Curse_. And I'm still working on the Oh Brother spin off (yeah, another one) called _What Happens In Florence_, about the brothers childhood up until Marco is turned. And then there is the Untitled Oh Brother Sequel that will be coming soon, once Oh Brother is finished (yes, my first story is coming to a close very soon :( Ah, who cares? There will be a sequel anyway. :))**

**Well, that was definatly the longest note I've ever written here. I'm going to stop rambling now. :)**

**-SwirlyTwirly**

**P.S Oh Brother will be update very, very soon. (Like maybe tonight soon, if I can write and edit fast enough)**


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